The Data-Over-Cable Service Interface Specification (DOCSIS) was established by cable television network operators to facilitate transporting data traffic, primarily Internet traffic, over existing community antenna television (CATV) networks. In addition to transporting data traffic, as well as television content signals over a CATV network, multiple services operators (MSO) also use their CATV network infrastructure for carrying voice, video on demand (VoD) and video conferencing traffic signals, among other types. DOCSIS (and the variant Euro-DOCSIS) provides for many 6 MHz (or 8 MHz in Euro-DOCSIS) channels over an assigned RF spectrum.
The RF signals generated by DOCSIS devices are communicated to subscribers through a hybrid fiber-coax (HFC) network. However, over long distances, these RF signals tend to degrade based upon the propagation characteristics of the media. Thus, amplifiers (e.g., including repeaters) can be placed regularly throughout the network to amplify the RF signals, thereby counteracting the degradation of the RF signal. However, each amplifier consumes power, leaving the MSO with significant overhead expenses for operating the network.